Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-01-26
THE ORANGE HARVEST.
Clipping the Fruit---The Sweating
Process---Sorting and Packing.

When the latter days of September
approach, the bizarre splendors of the
rainy afternoon, which, for four
months. has irrigated the grove, grow
the less frequent, and with the soft,
dry days of our autumn, We begin har-
vest; the Early Oolong or Thornton's s
Bell. TIE Egg, and the round Sang pur
Seeding begin to ripen, and are ready
for gathering.
a grove is not IN bearing until its
trees average 500 apples, so the labor
Of merely picking crop of oranges can
be understood. Nor is the gatherer
permitted to pluck the fruit. 1t swings
its tempting yellow among the dark
green leaves and long, steely thorns
high among the tops and low among
the bending boughs. Tall step-ladders
and light-weights are In demand, for
care must be taken not to break the
fruitful branches already symptOmatic
Of another year.
The fruit must be ''stem cut" An
adroIt expert learns to clip the fruit,
holding it between the third and fourth
fingers and the shoulder Of the thumb,
transferring it lightly to the pouch
suspended at his neck. The musk of
the wInd-shaken, crushed, thorn
pierced, and fallen fruit, the puugent,
aromatic odOrs of the leaves and oil
glands load the air with fragrance, as
the exhilarating task proceeds.
A bright, dry day must be chosen, as
moisture ON the rind tends to decay;
and there must be caution in handling,
as one bruised orange may infect an en-
tire box or crate.
A brisk hand stem-cutting in full
crop can average his 800 by the hour
or 3, coo apples per day; but this is not
frequent on account of the cautious
handling. The pickerS transfers ais
sack or basket carefully to the drying
house, where the fruit Is spread out to
dry; this sweating process occupies
three or more days. A good drying
house IS arranged with Slated shelves,
that the air may penetrate to
the interstices Of the strips. a light
fire is of advantage, as 1t promotes the
drying by which the rlnd becomes
firmer, taking crisp, horny texture,
protecting the pulp from bruising.
: The next step ia selecting, removing
oil bruised, thorn-pricked, or injured
fruit into separate lots. This, which
should precede arranging on drying
floors or shelves, to avoid contact, is fol-
lowed by separating the rusty fruit from
the bright yellow. If this is carefully
done, selection may be made of rusty
fruit in which the bronze contrasts
prettily with the gold on the orange,
like the bloom on u peach. AS the rust
In no way impairs flavor or juiciness, a
well selected box of rust fruit compares
with the "brights."
Sorting Is putting oranges OF the
same diameter in separte heaps. The
next step is wrapping. 4 thin tissue
paper Is used, cut into squares Oi
twelve or fourteen inches, the Florida
sweet seeding averaging ten inches in
| circumference; oblODg, egg. mandarin
| being smaller. Settling the fruit on
the sheet spread on the open palm.
closing the hand uniteS the corners for
twist of the right hand, and il is
wrapped. The fruit is packed in thin
elastic boxes, 12x12x27 outside meas
urement--the wrapped orange is packed
stem down-and, of an average three
inch diameter. will hold four rows of
nine TO .he row, or 156. The usual
complement OF the south Florida fruit,
however, is 12S, packed apple above
apple, with paper divisions to each
LAYER.
The packing-box is divided in The
ends and partition being CT firm half
inch wood, and the sides flexible. By
ARA ging the fruit differently, IS Is
required in sizes exceeding or less than
average diameter, space is economical
by altering the rows to 1t the diverse
and re-enterlng curves y size running
176 can be set by alternate threes and
fOurs and TO be so packed.
The process is delicate, the packing
must be close, fitting within even pres
sure without bruising, TO bear the iay-
ring of careless stevedOres and 'lCng
shoremen who annually exasperate the
cropper. In fitting the box layer O!
paper IS put at the bottom and one
Iappei above and below, so that the fold,
after the successive layers are closely
lifted, may lap over and cover the top.
This upper row should rise not to ex.
ceed one quarter of an inch above the
box edging, that, ON mailing down the
elastic top, the spring of wood fiber II |
It may have firm, constant pressure |
o resist iarrihg and displacement.